In a bid to attract more visitors, South Africa is to launch a major publicity campaign in its eastern neighbour, Kenya.

South Africa will display its culture and way of life in Kenya through a range of dancing and musical shows over the coming months.

Last year South Africa received 7.8 million visitors.

Hulisani Thabela, trade relations manager for the South Africa Tourism Head Office, said: "The fact that Kenya and South Africa are ranked as two of the top performing tourism destinations in the world suggests that not only do both of our countries have much to offer the international visitor, we also have a great deal to offer each other."

It is South Africa's physical environment and the animals and plants that thrive there that have undoubtedly made it the top tourist destination in Africa.

The country has over 20,000 different plants, accounting for some ten per cent of all the known species of plants on earth.

South Africa also boasts a menagerie of exotic creatures, including lions, leopards, kudu, impala, hyena, hippopotamus, giraffe and rhino.